A freeze, also called a hang, happens when a program or operating system stops responding to the keyboard, mouse or touch input, though it has not closed or restarted. The window may turn pale and show "Not Responding", or the whole screen may lock.
Why it matters
Freezes are among the most common everyday faults. Causes include a program stuck waiting for a slow disk or network, an infinite loop, a shortage of memory, an overheated processor or failing hardware. Telling an app freeze from a full system freeze decides your next step and whether you risk losing unsaved data.
Example
If one program hangs, open Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Esc, select it and choose End task. If the whole system is frozen, wait a minute because heavy disk activity may pass. On Linux, the magic SysRq key sequence can sync disks and reboot safely; as a last resort, hold the power button for about ten seconds.
Common mistakes
- Holding the power button immediately, which risks file system corruption.
- Pressing keys repeatedly, which queues input and can trigger unwanted actions on recovery.
- Assuming it is a virus when low memory or a failing drive is more likely.
Related
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